Go to Kabataang Partylist website:

http://www.kabataanparty.com/

Knowing the Nominees of the Kabataan partylist

(even if the COMELEC says it is illegal to reveal the partylist nominees)

Raymond “Mong” Palatino

27-year old Raymond “Mong” Palatino describes himself in his blog as “addicted to activism, aspiring educator and son of migrant workers.”

He is considered as one of the most brilliant youth leaders in country. He was chair of the university student council of University of the Philippines (UP) in Diliman in 2000 and president of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP), the largest alliance of tertiary student councils in the country, from 2001 to 2003.

An education graduate of UP Diliman, Mong has been a prominent figure in various campaigns and issues concerning youth and students. He was convenor to several youth alliances such as the Education for All (e!4all) Movement, Abolish ROTC, Tuition Refund, Youth Action Network against electoral fraud and violence, Youth Demanding Arroyo’s Removal (Youth DARE), Youth against Charter Change and Tyranny (Y-CHAT), and TxtPower, a consumer rights advocacy group, among others.

His leadership qualities and valuable contribution to youth empowerment did not go unnoticed. In 2004, he was recognized by the Quezon City government for exemplary youth leadership and was awarded by the United Nations Association of the Philippines as an Outstanding Youth Leader for Advocacy on National Concerns.

Mong also writes for several online publications and maintains his own blog. He is a web columnist for tinig.com, news editor of yehey.com (on leave). He is also a contributing editor for Global Voices Online and a regular resource speaker of both Houses of Congress on youth and education issues.

Recently, he was reelected president of Kabataan Partylist and was the unanimous choice as first nominee in the group’s bid to place the first youth sectoral representative in Congress.

Enrico “Rico” D. Almonguerra
 

At the age of 25, Enrico “Rico” Almonguerra could be the youngest representative in the 14th Congress.

With the help of a scholarship, Rico was able to finish his Social Work degree in Philippine Christian University (PCU) in Manila and recently passed the board exam for social workers.

In 2004, he became president of PCU Student Council and was the chairperson of NUSP chapter in the National Capital Region.

He is a songwriter and vocalist of his band, Tower of Silence. He is also a founding member of Kilometer 64, a group of young Filipino poets.

Currently, he is Kabataan Partylist’s Vice President for Luzon and 2nd nominee

Mary Francis “Pancit” C. Veloso

Mary Francis Veloso, 26, more popularly known with her nick “Pancit,” was a product of the University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu.

She was P.R.O of Rotaract - USC, District 3860 in the year 1999 and was president of College Y-USC Chapter and councilor of the university’s Supreme Student Council.

She was formerly the Vice President for Visayas and Cebu chapter chairperson of Anakbayan.

Clarizza “Claring” Z. Singson

A poet, singer and theater artist, Clarizza “Claring” Singson, 27, was a consistent honor student since elementary and a History graduate of UP in the Visayas – Miag-ao campus.

During her stay in UP Miag-ao, she became the chairperson of the Student Christian Movement and secretary general of the student political party Sandigan ng mga Mag-aaral para sa Sambayanan (SAMASA).

Claring is one of the convenors of Youth DARE and Kabataan Kontra Cha-Cha, and is the current chairperson of Kabataan Partylist in the Negros island.

Mark Louise B. Galanga
 

Mark Galanga, 26, earned his education degree from the University of Northern Philippines (UNP).

He currently heads the Ilocos Sur Youth Union and the Ilocos region chapter of the College Editors Guild of the Philippines (CEGP). He is also the chairperson of Kabataan Partylist in the Ilocos region

Angela B. Colmenares

A swimmer, grassroots organizer and youth leader, Angela “Ella” Colmenares finished her Political Science degree in Philippine Christian University.

Ella first enrolled in the University of Santo Tomas (UST) before she deferred college and worked in a non-government organization and later on as a community organizer for an urban poor and vendors’ organization in Caloocan.

During her stay in UST, she was part of the university swimming team. She was also the spokesperson of the Alliance of Concerned Thomasians at the height of the Hepatitis outbreak in the university.

Before graduating in PCU, she became the secretary general of the Student Congress of the university and an officer of the Student Christian Movement.

About the KABATAAN Partylist

KABATAAN Partylist is the largest youth party in the country that will represent the youth sector in the 2007 elections.

This will be the second time for the party to run in the partylist elections. In 2004, it was the sole youth party that participated in the elections under its previous name Ang Nagkakaisang Kabataan Para sa Sambayanan or Anak ng Bayan Youth Partylist.

Anak ng Bayan was among the top choices for partylist based on pre-election surveys (Pulse Asia, SWS). However, the partylist fell prey to massive vote shaving. A significant number of its votes were anomalously counted in favor of another partylist group. It was just 35,000 votes short of clinching one seat in the Lower House.

Despite being cheated of electoral victory, the party went on with its advocacies and continued to carry on with the partylist’s principles and general program of action.

Together with some of its founding organizations such as the National Union of Students, College Editors Guild, the League of Filipino Students, Student Christian Movement of the Philippines, Anakbayan and Kabataang Artisa para sa Tunay na Kalayaan (KARATULA), it vigorously campaigned for youth and students’ interests and demands concerning education and employment.

Kabataan partylist remains at the forefront of youth and students’ campaigns against unabated tuition and miscellaneous fee increases, for higher state subsidy for education, adequate jobs for new graduates, the defense and recognition of human rights and civil liberties which include consumer rights and the right to health, and the protection and conservation of national patrimony. It continues to give primacy to the promotion of holistic development and genuine youth empowerment through volunteer work, leadership and skills training and other activities that cater to the needs and interests of young Filipinos.

Drawing inspiration from great youth leaders and the first youth party in the Philippines, Young Philippines, KABATAAN Partylist is determined to place the first youth sectoral representative in Congress and reaffirm the youth’s vanguard role and leadership in social transformation and nation building.

In this time of corrupt governance and political unrest/instability, the nation needs young, vibrant and innovative minds that will restore integrity and morality in governance and lead the nation to genuine progress and social change.

With its new brand of politics – politics of hope, struggle and change - KABATAAN Partylist ushers in a new era for Philippine politics, away from the kind of leadership that traditional politicians and dynasties have for the longest time instilled in government.

This coming elections, we vote for honest officials, for principled leadership and for change. Now more than ever is the time for the youth to be involved

Our future IS our choice. Kabataan, pag-asa ng bayan. Tayo naman sa kongreso!

GENERAL PROGRAM OF ACTION

VISION
 

WE believe the future of the nation lies on the youth. The youth should devote its intellect, energy and courage to building a new society. The youth’s commitment to love and serve the country must be exhorted at all times. Our battlecry is to advance the politics of struggle and hope, to fulfill the historical role of the Filipino youth in nation building, and to advance genuine social change and progress through the collective action of the youth and the people.

MISSION
 

Galvanize the Filipino youth’s unity for changing a corrupt system. Encourage the youth to work collectively with the people for a bright future. Uphold, promote and defend the interest of the youth, to be able to harness its full potential in making a democratic, prosperous and peaceful society.

PROGRAM OF ACTION

Guided by our principles and commitment to love and serve the motherland, conscious of our historical role to shape the nation’s future, and aware of the need for a better system, we lay down the following objectives:

1. Uphold and assert the fundamental right of the people to education by asserting greater state subsidy on education, and immediately stopping the intensifying commercialization of education.

2. Establish a nationalist, people-oriented type of education and foster a scientific and liberating education free from outdated ideas.

3. Assert the youth and people’s right to decent employment, equal opportunities, and humane living conditions.

4. Advocate the inherent right of every Filipino to live in a society free from crime, drug addiction, unjust wars, militarization, environmental degradation, decadent culture and malnourishment.

5. Promote sports, culture and the arts for holistic development of the youth.

6. Guarantee the participation of the youth in all the affairs of governance and decision-making bodies of the government.

Contribute in the nation-building process by harnessing the youth’s dedication to serve the people, and forge solidarity with the workers, peasants, urban poor, indigenous peoples and other marginalized sectors of the society.

Assert and safeguard national independence, respect for national patrimony, love and loyalty to the country.

Promote genuine national industrialization, agrarian reform and pro-poor economic policies.

Promote international solidarity with the youths and peoples of the global community who share similar principles with KABATAAN.

Breaking news:

► Sunstar: Soldiers grab party-list staff